Electrical fixtures such as outlets and switches are commonly placed in walls, where they are hard-wired within junction boxes to connect them to an electrical supply network. For safety and decorative reasons, the junction boxes are covered with cover plates, which have openings to permit the exposure of only those parts of a fixture to which everyday access is necessary. Typically, a cover plate opening is sized and shaped to receive a particular fixture, such as a duplex outlet fixture, a toggle switch, or a decorator switch. Most commonly, a duplex outlet requires one configuration of opening, a toggle switch requires another configuration, and decorator switch requires yet another configuration. Duplex outlets are provided in pairs, one above the other at a standard distance apart, and the cover plate for a duplex fixture accordingly has two openings, one for each outlet.
Frequently, electrical requirements are such that it is necessary to provide multiple switches, or outlets, or both at a particular location. For such cases, junction boxes are appropriately sized to accommodate the required number of fixtures. Such boxes most commonly provide for multiple fixtures to be disposed in a single, horizontal row of perhaps two, three or four. Such arrangements are referred to as double-ganging, triple-ganging and so on, depending on the number of fixtures; in fact, a single fixture can be referred by the term of single-ganging. Most commonly, a multiple ganging situation has a plurality of switches, perhaps with one duplex outlet. The separation of adjacent fixtures in a multiple ganging situation is normally governed by industry standards, and thus standard cover plates are available to correspond to the most common combinations. In addition to the fixture openings, cover plates also have screw holes which allow them to be screwed to threaded receiving holes in a fixture or fixtures in the junction box. Industry standards provide for correct alignment between the screw holes and the receiving holes.
It frequently happens that in a finished electrical installation, there is sufficient air space in a junction box and a nearby wall to allow drafts to pass into a room. Frequently, the clearances between the cover plate and the fixture, and the cover plate and the wall, are not tight enough to provide a good seal against these drafts. Particularly in a cold climate, these drafts can be a source of expense and environmental degradation because of wasted energy, as well as being a source of discomfort and perhaps aggravation.
Various strategies can be employed to impede the passage of wind currents through a junction box. These can include the use of caulking or gaskets to seal against air passage. Caulking is undesirable since it inhibits subsequent removal of the cover plate should subsequent work be necessary; it may also necessitate some repair and repainting of the wall before the cover plate is put back in place. Because of the aforementioned variety of apertures needed to conform to different outlets, switches and combinations thereof, it can be appreciated that while a different gasket can be made for each situation, there is a need to provide a single pattern of gasket which be used in every or many situations.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an insulating and impervious gasket which can be configured to conform with an electrical fixture selected from a plurality of fixtures.
It is further an object of the invention to provide an insulating and impervious gasket which can be configured to conform to a selected electrical fixture disposed at any position in a multi-gang assembly.
The present invention addresses the aforementioned need, representing a great advantage to the manufacturer and a significant saving to the customer.